LAB LOGA page on LabLog, a review site (not the lab's official page)
Reaction Physical Chemistry Lab
Machine-translated · View original
A lab aiming for neuron-like information processing with networks of molecules.
AboutAbout the lab
A brain-like system built from chemical reactions of single molecules.
The Reaction Physical Chemistry Lab aims to build systems that work like the brain, using chemical reactions of single molecules or small numbers of molecules.
The lab uses molecular self-assembly to build networks of molecules that process information like neurons, and studies their electrical properties.
Electrical conduction and charge movement in molecules are examined at the nanoscale with instruments such as scanning probe microscopes and electrostatic force microscopes.
The lab's website introduces it under the name "Matsumoto Lab."
Key terms
- Scanning probe microscope
- A family of microscopes that use a probe tip to examine the surface and electrical properties of nanoscale samples.
- Resonant tunneling conduction
- Conduction in which electrons flow through molecular energy levels via weak coupling. It shows strong nonlinearity.
- Self-assembly
- The process by which molecules spontaneously come together to form an organized structure.
- Threshold
- A property whereby a response occurs only when the input exceeds a certain magnitude. It corresponds to the firing of a neuron.
NewsLab news
Professor Emeritus Takuya Matsumoto received the Society Award of the Japan Society of Vacuum and Surface Science
A doctoral student received the Best Poster Prize at an RSC-sponsored international conference in Kraków
ResearchResearch themes
The lab is trying to use molecular networks to reproduce the way a neuron "fires" when a threshold is exceeded. It also develops microscopes for studying how charges move in molecules and nanoparticles.
*Illustrative imageNetwork-Type Molecular Electronics
The lab is working on using molecular self-assembly to build artificial neural networks made of molecular materials. Electron transport through molecular energy levels in the network produces threshold behavior, which corresponds to the firing of a neuron.
*Illustrative imageResonant Tunneling Conduction via Particle Bridging
Gold microparticles are bridged across nanogap electrodes made by microfabrication, and the electrical conduction of a small number of molecules, or even a single molecule, is measured. The lab has succeeded in observing pure resonant tunneling conduction that does not depend on temperature and has no hopping conduction mixed in.
*Illustrative imageDevelopment of Time-Resolved Electrostatic Force Microscopy
The lab has developed a microscope that images, with nanosecond time resolution, the movement and disappearance of charges generated by light or electric fields in nanoscale materials on insulators. The measurement synchronizes the oscillation of the probe tip with the timing of photoexcitation.
*Illustrative imageIndependent Noise Generation Using Molecular Wires
Living organisms use small amounts of energy by exploiting noise, so artificial systems also need independent noise sources that can be integrated. The lab has fabricated molecular wires of self-doped polyaniline on a silicon surface and succeeded in converting photovoltage into noise.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Reaction Physical Chemistry Lab are faculty, a professor emeritus, visiting professors, visiting researchers, project researchers, master's and undergraduate students, and administrative assistants.As of 2026
- Associate ProfessorCai Deqi
- Assistant ProfessorTomoki Misaka
VoicesStudent voices
Ratings and reviews reflect the experiences of individual current or former students, not the lab's official views. Whether a lab has reviews, or how many, says nothing about the lab itself.
Students who take part in an interview may receive a thank-you gift worth ¥1,000, regardless of what they say.
Student ratings (0 students)
--
--
--
--
--
--
Student voices answer questions like these
- What's great about this lab?
- What did you learn after joining?
- What's the vibe, and what is the professor like?
- Who is this lab for?
- Where do graduates go?
Your experience can help younger students choose their lab. Your name won't be shown.
Write a lab reviewAnonymous · Your draft is saved if you stopRelatedLabs similar to Reaction Physical Chemistry Lab
Surface Chemistry LabFaculty of Science, Department of ChemistryCreating new molecular functions by focusing on chemical rea…
Inorganic Chemistry LabFaculty of Science, Department of ChemistryPioneering new molecular magnetic materials, such as rare-ea…
Analytical Chemistry LabFaculty of Science, Department of ChemistryDevelopment of separation and analytical methods based on ne…
Functional Molecular Materials LabFaculty of Science, Department of ChemistryDesigning, synthesizing, and fabricating functional molecule…The information on this page is compiled by the LabLog team from the lab's public information and interviews. For corrections or removal requests, please contact LabLog, not the lab.
Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “Laser scan of the scanning photocurrent microscope” Nuwandi Jayasekara / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Network-Type Molecular Electronics: “Scanning tunneling microscope-MHS 2237-IMG 3817-gradient” Rama / CC BY-SA 3.0 fr (cropped)
- Resonant Tunneling Conduction via Particle Bridging: “Gold nanoparticles as indicators” Valeg96 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Development of Time-Resolved Electrostatic Force Microscopy: “Scanning probe microscope ( )” Oak Ridge National Laboratory / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Independent Noise Generation Using Molecular Wires: “GR Noise Generator.agr” ArnoldReinhold / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Surface Chemistry Lab): “Scanning tunneling microscope-MHS 2237-IMG 3817” Rama / CC BY-SA 3.0 fr (cropped)
- Related lab (Inorganic Chemistry Lab): “Raw citrine crystals 2” W.carter / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Analytical Chemistry Lab): “Working in analytical chemistry 5” Martin Schaier / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Functional Molecular Materials Lab): “Fluorescence of Anthracene under UV light” TimJW12 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
About LabLog
LabLog is a lab review app for students only. Student members at each university interview students in labs and publish what they say. Student voices can only be read by students who sign up with a university email address. Operated by bestiee Inc.
Learn more about LabLog ↗Search engines and AI may reference the basic lab info and rating summaries on this page and the description of LabLog. Student voices are for student members only. Automated collection by programs (scraping, or input to or training of AI) is prohibited under Article 8 of the Terms of Service. If you need data for research or analysis, please contact us.